Following the devastating impact of the Sunday flood on residents and businesses across the Lagos metropolis, the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has ordered immediate demolition of a church built on drainage channel in Bariga area of the state.

The governor, who gave the directive during an inspection of the area on Tuesday, also instructed that all illegal structures erected on the drainage channels be pulled down.

He blamed the casualties recorded in the massive flood that swept across the state on distortion of the state built environment by certain individuals.

Inspecting the extent of damage in Bariga axis of Lagos, Fashola said a Pentecostal church named Faith of Christ Evangelical Church must be demolished because it sited on the drainage channels thereby obstructing the free flow of water to Awofodu canal.

He explained that the major problem confronting the city is that of indiscipline on the part of residents who he said prefer to break the law and do the wrong thing at the detriment of other teeming Lagosians who pay the prize when the disasters occur.

He appealed to residents of Lagos to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the drains, noting that haphazard way of building without approval from the government would no-longer be tolerated by the government.

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Written by Wednesday, 13 July 2011

For the second day running, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), on Tuesday, undertook a tour of flood affected areas in parts of the state as a result of last Sunday’s heavy rain, saying government would identify and remove all obstructions to drainage channels in the state.

Governor Fashola, who inspected drainage systems in Gbagada, Somolu, Iganmu and parts of Surulere, said his administration would no longer tolerate the construction of structures or any other form of human intervention on established drainage and flood channels in the state adding that enforcement would be stepped up immediately.

Speaking particularly on the siting of building on Soluyi drainage channel in Gbagada, Governor Fashola noted, “the channels are there and they are working. But these flood mishaps are largely due to human intervention and obstruction of the channels either by building on them or by blocking them with refuse or other items of such nature.

“We were just told by the Permanent Secretary (Drainage) that we are standing on a drainage channel, a channel that flows into Odo Iya Alaro River; that drains Gbagada and Soluyi. Now, this sand-filled place was not here two months ago when the permanent secretary and his team were here. Now they have sand-filled the water path; you and I are standing on it because people want to build houses,” the Governor said.

Pointing out other structures such as fence and a building which were not there when the permanent secretary and his team visited the place two months ago, Governor Fashola declared, “now, this we will not tolerate. We are coming back here and the people of Soluyi must take note that we will be back here to re-establish this canal.

“When nature takes its course as a result of human action, people’s lives are disturbed and it leads to anguish, but we are the cause. This is the time we must stop people from playing games and putting other people’s lives at risk.”

Governor Fashola assured that contractors were working on the different drainage systems across the state to re-establish the canal lines so that there would be free flow of water during the rains adding that there was need for more dredging of the waterways which, according to him, had become heavily silted, in order to make them deeper and increase their capacity to hold water in bigger tranches and give more efficiency to the system.



http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/24978-flood-in-lagos-no-tolerance-for-building-on-drainage-channels-gov-fashola

He appealed to residents of Lagos to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the drains, noting that haphazard way of building without approval from the government would no-longer be tolerated by the government.

Kobojunkie:

He came in demolishing structures left and right since 2007. Yet the floods situation continued to escalate over those same years. I am all for removing structures that may be blocking claimed drainage ways and all the lot but is this a brash move to calm the air or something?  Would this energy not be better spent on building better drainage systems at this time since it costs money to demolish and that is what he has been doing since day one of office.

alj_harem:

no kobo we have had this discussion before

there is what they call natual water way in which water passes throught a particular route because of factors such as the land gradient, soil and rock

also the amount of water

if houses are built in those route and the government build a drainage, it is just the matter of time the water would burst the bank

i don't know but even i and fashola are think the same way

lets see how it goes and for the record, this is the first time the are destroying houses because of water ways

Kobojunkie:

He came in demolishing structures left and right since 2007. Yet the floods situation continued to escalate over those same years. I am all for removing structures that may be blocking claimed drainage ways and all the lot but is this a brash move to calm the air or something?  Would this energy not be better spent on building better drainage systems at this time since it costs money to demolish and that is what he has been doing since day one of office.

Governor Fashola assured that contractors were working on the different drainage systems across the state to re-establish the canal lines so that there would be free flow of water during the rains adding that there was need for more dredging of the waterways which, according to him, had become heavily silted, in order to make them deeper and increase their capacity to hold water in bigger tranches and give more efficiency to the system.

Kobojunkie:

He came in demolishing structures left and right since 2007. Yet the floods situation continued to escalate over those same years. I am all for removing structures that may be blocking claimed drainage ways and all the lot but is this a brash move to calm the air or something?  Would this energy not be better spent on building better drainage systems at this time since it costs money to demolish and that is what he has been doing since day one of office.

ziga:

And where would he build the "better drainage"?? In the air

Kobojunkie:

And like I told you before . . . . STOP making stories up if you are UNABLE to substantiate them. If you cannot show, with data that structures SUDDENLY started blocking water channels in the last, I don't know, 3 or 4 years, then I suggest you stop trying to sell me that bull argument.

alj_harem:



you see koboj we are not talking of old houses or building built duing colonal era

what we are talking about are illigal structures built recently but greed people on water routes

what data do u want me to provide "is it a date that shows houses vs water route" this is intuition really

infact people are even building houses on canals  

Kobojunkie:

So, someone says "illegal structures" and you think of old houses and what nots? Are you sure you have ever lived a day of your life in Lagos before? Cause I find it hard to believe that someone who has would assume that "illegal structures" refers to old colonial structures. 

Look, I think you should stop trying to sell me your nonsense logic at this point as it is obvious you are just trying to do it for the sake of just posting. Offering me bullcrap as you continue to, will not stop me from posting what I know to be the case. . . just so you know.

alj_harem:



you see koboj we are not talking of old houses or building built duing colonal era

what we are talking about are illigal structures built recently but greed people on water routes

what data do u want me to provide "is it a date that shows houses vs water route" this is intuition really

infact people are even building houses on canals  

Kobojunkie:

I am saying illegal structures and someone feels he needs to DEFINE illegal structures. That shows a disconnect, of some kind, and I am sorry I don't believe you have ever lived in Lagos. No lagoscian would have done that.

Seanet1000:

Nawa for you o. Yesterday you were complaining that Fashola is not doing anything about the Flooding, today you are saying the structures that he want to demolish because the obstruct the or divert the water courses are not illegal as declared by Fashola, may be Fashola should bring the masterplan to your room over there before you believe the church and other structures are illegal. BTW, you can get this people a solicitor to challenge this in court. Oga fun e gan ni.

ziga:

And where would he build the "better drainage"?? In the air

Seanet1000:

Nawa for you o. Yesterday you were complaining that Fashola is not doing anything about the Flooding, today you are saying the structures that he want to demolish because the obstruct the or divert the water courses are not illegal as declared by Fashola, may be Fashola should bring the masterplan to your room over there before you believe the church and other structures are illegal. BTW, you can get this people a solicitor to challenge this in court. Oga fun e gan ni.

aasog1:

@eko ile and alj_harem: why on earth would you argue with kobo?

Gbawe:

Thank you !!! She is the worst example of a coward who shirks the responsibility of putting her money where her mouth is. Yet she wants to retain toxic and unreasonable pessimism plus the right to speak in a manner that shows she see nothing good in anything or anyone to do with Nigeria. That would be even semi acceptable if she were not such a coward who prefers to malign others constantly while not ready , even for one second, to inspect her own role or obligation - however miniscule.

Just find the thread where Jarus asked me , Beaf and Kobo to defend the Presidential candidates we had all backed vociferously. I.e Ribadu, GEJ and Buhari respectively. I took up the challenge and so did Beaf. Kobojunkie instead chickened out with some pathetic excuse. Jarus had to then draft in someone else to argue Buhari's case !!! Classic cowardice!!!! I.e criticise everyone and everything all day long yet 'dissapear' when called upon to facilitate , in your own little way, the change you claim to want !!!!

Folks like Kobo are not fit to criticise Fashola or even Bode George because we know she will certainly not step up to the platform if given a chance. I will continue to taunt her with this example because it shows she has no right to be so critical of others when she is not even ready to accept a small challenge to do her bit and sway opinions when it really mattered - i.e before the elections. She is just a perennial self-hating pessimist who criticises for the sake of it and loves the sound of her own voice . You will never find her saying anything good/constructive about Nigeria or Nigerians. Like someone noted, she will criticise Fashola for inaction yet , when he acts, she only wants to look for negatives !! Abeg , Eko Ile and Alj Harem, is this even a person to respond to given how predictably negative, pessimistic and devoid of constructive criticism her argument will be?

Kx:

Without being a BFR critic,
could nt he have ordered that all unapproved structures on the drainage channels be demolished
instead of singling out and mentioning church?

Kx:

Without being a BFR critic,
could nt he have ordered that all unapproved structures on the drainage channels be demolished
instead of singling out and mentioning church?

Seun:

Why didn't he do this before?